A vehicle system may include one or more powered vehicles that may be mechanically linked (directly or indirectly) to non-powered vehicles. The powered and non-powered vehicles of the vehicle system may travel as a group along a designated route. In cases where the vehicle system includes multiple powered vehicles, the vehicle system may coordinate operations of the powered vehicles to move the vehicle system. For example, a rail vehicle system (e.g., train) may include a powered unit consist that has one or more powered units (e.g., locomotives) mechanically coupled to one another; the powered unit consist may in turn be coupled to one or more rail cars. Vehicles in a single consist may include a lead powered unit and one or more remote powered units. The lead vehicle may control operation of one or more remote vehicles. More specifically, the lead vehicle (e.g., a lead locomotive) may coordinate tractive and braking operations of the different powered units (e.g., remote or trail locomotives) to control movement of the rail vehicle consist (e.g., a train). In some cases, a single train may include a plurality of such locomotive consists. The locomotive consists may communicate with one another to coordinate tractive and braking operations of the train.
In certain conventional vehicle systems, the order of powered vehicles in a given consist may not be known or easily obtainable. Further, to the extent ordering information may be entered by an operator, such information is prone to operator error, and may be incorrectly entered.
These and other drawbacks of conventional powered units of a consist may result in limited adjustability and/or fine tuning of control of plural powered units, difficulty in troubleshooting and/or adjusting for changes in status of one or more vehicles, and the like.